Karachi, Pakistan – March, 2025: In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD), Google Pakistan
hosted “HERstory: Google IWD 2025”, a webinar highlighting the achievements of women in Pakistan’s
digital economy. Graced by Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the
event was attended by over 550 people who actively engaged in discussions on advancing women in
technology.
Aligned with IWD’s 2025 theme, “Accelerate Action,” the discussion focused on empowering women in
the digital economy through education, mentorship, and access to tech tools. The session also featured a
panel of three inspiring women who have either benefitted from Google’s digital skilling initiatives and in
turn actively driving programs to foster career advancement for Pakistani women, or using their platform
to amplify female voices in the country.
“Pakistan is not just bridging the gender gap in technology—we are redefining the future of women in the
digital economy. Our young women have consistently excelled on merit, ranking among the top achievers
in education and emerging as leaders in tech. Through initiatives like the laptop scheme, we have
empowered thousands of female students with the tools they need to thrive in a digital world. From AI to
cybersecurity, women are not just participants but pioneers, breaking barriers and driving the next wave
of innovation. Our commitment is clear: no woman should be left behind in the tech revolution. Together,
with industry leaders like Google, we are building a future where women don’t just participate in
technology—they lead it,” said Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for IT &
Telecommunication.
Farhan Qureshi, Google’s Country Director for Pakistan, added, ”At Google, we believe in the power
of technology to transform lives, and we’re committed to building a “Future Forward Pakistan’ where
everyone can reach their full potential in the digital economy. With Pakistan being the third-largest
freelance economy 1 in the world and a rapidly growing digital talent pool, we are encouraged by the
enthusiasm in digital skills, especially through the active participation of women across our programs.
Through initiatives like Digital Safar, Google Career Certificates, and our Google Developer Groups, we
will continue to equip all Pakistanis with the skills, opportunities, and networks to succeed in the global
economy.”
How Google is committed to empower Pakistan’s digital economy
According to the “ Agay Barho: Empowering Pakistan’s Digital Economy ” report, narrowing the digital skills
gap can add PKR 2.8 trillion to the country’s annual GDP in 2030.
To drive this digital transformation, Google has launched initiatives focused on elevating Pakistani tech
talent and developers with digital and AI skills, and getting the Pakistani workforce ready to seize new
opportunities in the digital economy:
? Bridging the skills gap through Google Career Certificates (GCC) by offering industry-
recognised training in fields such as cybersecurity, digital marketing, UI/UX, and data analytics.
Since its launch in 2022, over 100,000 scholarships have been awarded with nearly 50% going to
women. Last year, Google also introduced an AI Essentials skilling program to make the most out
of AI within just a few hours, and launched Career Kamyabi, an initiative designed to close the
employment gap for female GCC graduates,
? Elevating Pakistani tech talent and developers through Google Developer Groups. With 47
GDGs across Pakistan, Google is advancing the developer ecosystem through community-led
learning, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing. There has been strong participation from female
developers, with over 1,300 women enrolling in the #AISeekho program, gaining hands-on
experience with AI, machine learning (ML), and cloud-based technologies.
Supporting the growth of YouTube creators and the digital ecosystem. In Pakistan, there
are now 600 creators with over 1 million subscribers and more than 8,500 creators with over
100,000 subscribers, including Pakistani female creators like Iqra Kanwal, and Kanwal Ahmed.
Google remains committed to supporting creators on their economic opportunities: the number of
YouTube channels making 10M PKR or more in their annual revenue is up over 25%, year over
year.
Building on this momentum, Google will continue to support women in tech through mentorship programs,
skills training, and industry networking events.
